Ferromagnetic material sputtering target

Abstract

Provided is an oxide grain-dispersed ferromagnetic material sputtering target having a fine structure which can effectively reduce abnormal discharge and generation of particles caused by oxide grains. A sintered sputtering target contains, as metal or an alloy, 0 mol % or more and 45 mol % or less of Pt, 55 mol % or more and 95 mol % or less of Co, and 0 mol % or more and 40 mol % or less of Cr; and further contains at least two kinds of oxides. The oxides are present in the metal or alloy, and the standard deviation of the number density of oxides is 2.5 or less.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sintered sputtering target containing, as metal or an alloy, 0 mol % or more and 45 mol % or less of Pt, 55 mol % or more and 95 mol % or less of Co, 0 mol % or more and 40 mol % or less of Cr, and further containing at least two kinds of oxides, wherein the oxides are present in the metal or alloy, and the standard deviation of the number density of oxides having a major axis of more than 1 μm in ten points on the sputtering target surface is 2.5 or less. 
     
     
       2. The sintered sputtering target according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxides are oxides of elements selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ta, Ti, Si, Zr, Al, Nb, B, and Co; and the total volume ratio of the oxides relative to the entire target is 5 vol % or more and 50 vol % or less. 
     
     
       3. The sintered sputtering target according to  claim 2 , wherein the oxides are three types of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , and CoO, or two types of TiO 2  and SiO 2 . 
     
     
       4. The sintered sputtering target according to  claim 3 , wherein one or more members selected from the group consisting of B, N, Ti, V, Mn, Zr, Nb, Ru, Mo, Ta, W, Si, and Al are contained as one or more additional element components at more than 0 mol % and 10 mol % or less. 
     
     
       5. A method for producing a sintered sputtering target according to  claim 1 , the method comprising using, at the time of sintering, a metal component raw material powder and an oxide component raw material powder which has been subjected to heat treatment in atmospheric air at 700° C. or more and 1900° C. or less. 
     
     
       6. The sintered sputtering target according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxides include TiO 2  and SiO 2 . 
     
     
       7. The sintered sputtering target according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxides include TiO 2 , SiO 2 , and CoO. 
     
     
       8. The sintered sputtering target according to  claim 1 , wherein the sintered sputtering target contains one or more elements selected from the group consisting of B, N, Ti, V, Mn, Zr, Nb, Ru, Mo, Ta, W, Si, and Al at more than 0 mol % and 10 mol % or less in total.